March 07, 2014

Earlier this week Google has added support for Shopping Campaigns to the AdWords API. Now The company has also announced that DoubleClick Search is getting beta support for Shopping Campaigns as well. This is part of the Doubleclick Search Commerce Suite.

March 03, 2014

Google has released a video where Google head of search spam Matt Cutts talks about paid links and how Google determines whether a link is considered a paid link or not.

Matt points out that 99 percent of the time it’s abundantly clear. Sometimes, not so much.

He notes, “These are some of the criteria, but just like the webspam guidelines, they basically say, ‘Look, anything that’s deceptive or manipulative or abusive we reserve the right to take action on.’

Google has announced on Google+ that the Notification and Alerts icon in Google AdWords will be rolling out to the advertisers very soon.

Google started phasing in the new cohesive structure early in February to streamline the notifications and alerts system in AdWords. The new development will allow advertisers to priorities their notifications and focus on the more important ones first. All the alerts and suggestions will now be available in the notification bell icon making your AdWords account clutter free.

March 02, 2014

In a new “Webmaster Help” video, Google's head of webspam Matt Cutts answers an interesting question, “Should I write content that is easier to read or more scientific? Will I rank better if I write for 6th graders?”

In reply Cutts says, “I spent a lot more time thinking about it than I did a lot of other questions today. I really feel like the clarity of what you write matters a lot.”

Google, of course, is trying to get better at natural language with updates like Hummingbird and various other acquisitions and tweaks. It should only help if you craft your content around that.

February 28, 2014

Last year, Google rolled out a new campaign type called Search Network with Display Select, designed to make it easier for advertisers to run both search and display ads, while shedding the waste advertisers typically saw when they combined search and all of the display network in the same campaign.

Now Google has released some case study performance results on the new campaign type.

According to Google: "Search Network with Display Select campaigns are helping advertisers gain up to 15% more customers than search campaigns alone. In fact, the average advertiser can see a 35% higher click-through-rate, and a 35% lower cost-per-customer purchase on the display portion of their Search Network with Display Select campaigns."

February 26, 2014

Google has announced the launch of Flexible Conversion Counting, which is described as an improved way for advertisers to count conversions that “really matter”.

Google says that the feature enables businesses to better measure the value of each click that turns into actual results. This is the latest in a string of recently launched conversion-tracking features from the company.

The change will be particularly helpful for advertisers that are driving both online sales and online leads through AdWords.

February 25, 2014

Google's head of Search Spam Matt Cutts says in a new “Webmaster Help” video, that Google may use EXIF data attached to images as a ranking factor in search results.

Matt Cutts responds to the submitted question, “Does Google use EXIF data from pictures as a ranking factor?”

Cutts reconfirms that Google may not be using the EXIF data currently for ranking images but there is a high probability that it will be using the data in the near future for its ranking algorithm.

Google has previously confirmed the same in a blog post in April 2012 while explaining what happens to the EXIF, XMP and other metadata contained in the images.

Cutts recommends that if the option of embedding EXIF data is readily available with your camera then you can certainly go for it, because it can be an useful source of information for those who are searching for camera types, focal lengths or dates. But if your camera does not offer you any such option, then you do not need to bother about it.